5 Stocks Pushing The Technology Sector Higher

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model

All three major indices are trading up today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( ^DJI) trading up 22 points (0.2%) at 12,810 as of Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, 11:49 AM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,635 issues advancing vs. 1,204 declining with 167 unchanged.

TheStreet Ratings group would like to highlight 5 stocks pushing the sector higher today:

5. Salesforce.com ( CRM) is one of the companies pushing the Technology sector higher today. As of noon trading, Salesforce.com is up $11.47 (7.9%) to $157.37 on heavy volume Thus far, 3.9 million shares of Salesforce.com exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 1.8 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $149.80-$157.72 after having opened the day at $150.10 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $145.90.

salesforce.com, inc provides cloud computing and social enterprise solutions to various businesses and industries worldwide. The company delivers customer relationship management applications through Internet or cloud. Salesforce.com has a market cap of $20.7 billion and is part of the computer software & services industry. The company has a P/E ratio of -136.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 43.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are 28 analysts that rate Salesforce.com a buy, 2 analysts rate it a sell, and 2 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Salesforce.com as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, good cash flow from operations and increase in stock price during the past year. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and feeble growth in the company's earnings per share. Get the full Salesforce.com Ratings Report now.

4. As of noon trading, EMC Corporation ( EMC) is up $0.33 (1.4%) to $24.55 on light volume Thus far, 4.4 million shares of EMC Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 18.7 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $24.25-$24.60 after having opened the day at $24.32 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $24.22.

EMC Corporation develops, delivers, and supports the information and virtual infrastructure technologies and solutions. EMC Corporation has a market cap of $51.3 billion and is part of the computer hardware industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 20.0, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 12.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are 28 analysts that rate EMC Corporation a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 3 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates EMC Corporation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, good cash flow from operations, growth in earnings per share, expanding profit margins and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself. Get the full EMC Corporation Ratings Report now.

3. As of noon trading, Cisco Systems ( CSCO) is up $0.24 (1.3%) to $18.58 on light volume Thus far, 12.8 million shares of Cisco Systems exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 38.7 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $18.27-$18.61 after having opened the day at $18.37 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $18.34.

Cisco Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells Internet protocol (IP) based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology industries worldwide. Cisco Systems has a market cap of $97.0 billion and is part of the computer hardware industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 11.9, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 1.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are 19 analysts that rate Cisco Systems a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 13 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Cisco Systems as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, notable return on equity and attractive valuation levels. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself. Get the full Cisco Systems Ratings Report now.

2. As of noon trading, International Business Machines ( IBM) is up $1.48 (0.8%) to $190.68 on light volume Thus far, 987,747 shares of International Business Machines exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.1 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $188.95-$190.89 after having opened the day at $189.30 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $189.20.

International Business Machines Corporation provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Global Technology Services, Global Business Services, Software, Systems and Technology, and Global Financing. International Business Machines has a market cap of $215.1 billion and is part of the computer hardware industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 13.7, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 2.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are 10 analysts that rate International Business Machines a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 12 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates International Business Machines as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its notable return on equity, growth in earnings per share and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated. Get the full International Business Machines Ratings Report now.

1. As of noon trading, Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT) is up $0.25 (0.9%) to $26.96 on light volume Thus far, 15.8 million shares of Microsoft Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 50.7 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $26.67-$27.02 after having opened the day at $26.71 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $26.71.

Microsoft Corporation develops, licenses, and supports software products and services; and designs and sells hardware worldwide. Microsoft Corporation has a market cap of $225.0 billion and is part of the computer software & services industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 2.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are 20 analysts that rate Microsoft Corporation a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 9 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Microsoft Corporation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels, expanding profit margins and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income. Get the full Microsoft Corporation Ratings Report now.

A reminder about TheStreet Ratings group: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.